New Podcasts for Citizenship, Sports, and Lectures

The City University has launched a series of radio podcasts on faculty lectures, the Chancellor’s Report, sports news, citizenship and immigration information. The podcasts are audio program subscriptions distributed over the Internet that can be downloaded automatically onto Ipod mobile devices and personal computers.

“With these free podcasts we are now able to reach faculty, students, friends of the City University and the general public with timely, important and useful information,” said Senior Vice Chancellor for University Relations Jay Hershenson. “Podcasting also offers the media access to the ideas and opinions of CUNY faculty experts on a host of important topics.”

Seven podcasts are presently available to subscribers, with plans for more. They are:

The CUNY Faculty Lecture Series, with thought-provoking discussions by distinguished professors on topics including climate change, the vulnerability of New York to storms and hurricanes, and the health impacts of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

The Chancellor’s Report, in which Chancellor Matthew Goldstein reports about the latest CUNY developments, including new programs, academic initiatives, and budget updates.

Newsmakers, with news about CUNY headline makers among faculty, students, administrators and alumni.

The Baruch Business Report, hosted by Dean John Elliot of Baruch College’s Zicklin’s School of Business.

CUNY Sports Week, which lets subscribers follow their favorite CUNY teams via updates on game scores, and interviews with athletes and coaches. The program is produced by students at the College of Staten Island’s WSIA Radio in cooperation with the CUNY Athletic Conference and the Office of University Relations.

Culinary TECHnique, created by New York City College of Technology and its Department of Hospitality Management, in which top New York chefs demonstrate their culinary skills and offer favorite recipes.

Following is a sampling of the compelling programs currently available via CUNY Radio Podcasts:

The CUNY Faculty Lecture Series includes three talks exploring the hot topic of climate change from multiple angles. They include how urbanization affects climate, sea-level rise, and marine circulation, by Queens Professor George Hendrey; how global warming and melting ice sheets may endanger New York by decreasing rain fall and increasing droughts, by Queens Professor Stephen Pekar; and the impact of climate change on our quality of life, by Hunter’s Professor William Solecki.

The Chancellor’s Report features a major policy address by Dr. Matthew Goldstein on the future of public higher education. He calls for new resources for science and research; “predictable” funding that protects economically disadvantaged students; closer relationships among primary and secondary schools and colleges, and performance standards and accountability on all levels.

Those who have waited more than fifteen months for an interview from Citizenship and Immigration Services should tune in to Allan Wernick’s Citizenship Now! for answers to their questions.

Newsmakers includes a talk on Reinventing Teacher Education by Dr. Selma Botman, CUNY’s Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. She focuses on the University’s Teacher Academy, an ambitious new initiative created in partnership with the City’s Department of Education to meet the growing need for exceptional math and science teachers.

“From Enron to the Fed: The Chief Financial Officers Outlook Survey,” is the highlight of the Baruch Business Report. Tune in to a wide-ranging conversation between Dean John Elliott of Baruch’s Zicklin School of Business, and Terrence Martell, Professor of Finance and International Business.

CUNY Sports Week spotlights Staten Island freshman Alba Basha, who came to New York searching for the American Dream and turned to volleyball to ease the transition from her native Albania. She was recently named CUNY’s Rookie of the Week.

Meanwhile, famed chef James Peterson shares his secrets for bringing out the flavor in your favorite lobster dish on CityTech’s Culinary TECHnique.

Planning is underway for a regular program examining criminal justice issues produced by John Jay College of Criminal Justice. There will also be podcasts created by faculty, staff and students on a variety of topics.

The City University of New York is the nation’s largest urban public university: eleven senior colleges, six community colleges, the William E. Macaulay Honors College, the Graduate Center, the Graduate School of Journalism, the Law School, the School of Professional Studies and the Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education. The University serves more than 226,000 degree-credit students and 230,000 adult, continuing and professional education students. College Now, the University’s academic enrichment program for 32,500 high school students is offered at CUNY campuses and more than 280 high schools throughout the five boroughs of the City of New York. The University has launched an on-line baccalaureate degree through the School of Professional Studies, and a new Teacher Academy offering free tuition for highly motivated mathematics and science majors who seek teaching careers in the city’s public schools.